Specifically designed for cruisers, Costa Maya Port sits on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, south of Riviera Maya and the Yucatan region, and just north of Belize. While the port’s resort–like atmosphere draws many tourists, visitors can also venture out on shore excursions if they would like to get out on the water or visit ancient Maya ruins.
Costa Maya Port has everything you need to kick back and relax: restaurants, bars, shopping, pools, a swim-up bar, and a beach club. Alternatively, head into Mahahual, a former fishing village that’s becoming a lively tourist town, where you can stroll along the boardwalk (malecón), get some fresh ceviche, or plop down at a beach club to swim and relax. Popular shore excursion options include scuba diving with marine life on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and visiting the Chacchoben Maya ruins, an archaeological site dating back to the year AD 700. The site is 43 miles (69 kilometers) from Costa Maya, so booking a tour is the easiest way to get there.
Most Costa Maya shore excursions are half-day tours, leaving time for you to hang out at the port or in Mahahual before your cruise ship departs, depending on your cruise schedule.
Pay attention to the pickup and drop-off details of each shore excursion; some include port pickup but others may require that you make your own way to a meeting point.
Ships dock right at Costa Maya's purpose-built facilities. The pier is long, but a free shuttle bus ferries passengers back and forth. The fishing village of Mahahual is located just south of the port, five minutes by road.
Costa Maya’s dry season lasts from November through May. While rainy season visitors risk cloudy weather and potential hurricanes, they can benefit from lower prices and fewer crowds.
Mexico’s currency is the peso, although US dollars are often accepted around the port area.